Beričevo substation (photo: ELES)
Slovenia’s transmission system operator ELES plans to use waste heat from power substations to heat its offices and sell it to businesses. The company intends to complete the work by 2027.
ELES has prepared several studies on waste heat utilization and documentation for the necessary work for high-voltage substations at five locations, Naš stik reported.
The installation of a system for collecting and transporting waste heat is scheduled to be completed by 2027. The tender for a contractor has been launched. ELES set the bidding ceiling at EUR 5 million.
The waste heat’s temperature is suitable for heating indoor spaces and greenhouses, and the supply of sanitary water
After conducting two studies, the company decided to use waste heat. ELES funded them with grants obtained from the European Local Energy Assistance (ELENA) program.
The first study examined the amount of heat available in the transmission system operated by ELES. The results showed that the heat is more than sufficient to heat ELES offices, leaving a share that could be sold.
The second one covered possible heat utilization purposes and surveyed the areas around the facilities for potential consumers. The study reads that they expressed interest. Its authors pointed out that the maximum temperature would be 50 degrees Celsius, limiting the use to heating indoor spaces and greenhouses and the supply of sanitary water.
Waste heat from five substations would be used
Based on the studies, ELES has decided to use waste heat from 11 transformers in total in substations Beričevo, Cirkovce, Divača, Kleče, and Maribor.
The ELENA program also covered project design and the preparation of tender documentation. This endeavor would be implemented within the GreenSwitch project, which the European Commission co-financed.
Of note, there is a project in Serbia to utilize waste heat from wastewater treatment and waterworks. The energy would be used for heat pumps.
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